Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Filling the Well

by Christina Brooke/Christine Wells

I haven't been around the lair for a while and boy, have I missed you all! Especially the cabana boys and my dahling Sven of the Magical Hands. This latest deadline really whipped my hide and I had to retreat from the cyber world for a while to focus.

Writers often talk about the creative well--that there's a finite amount of creativity any of us have at one stretch. Once we've drained the well dry, we need to refill it by experiencing the world beyond our writing spaces and more specifically, other forms of artistic endeavour. I find amazing joy and inspiration in the product of other people's creativity.

At the moment, this is how I'm refilling my well:

The Russian ballet: I am not a ballet afficionado but I was transfixed by the beauty and athleticism of the dancers. And while I'm being highbrow about it, I'm also going to a performance of the opera Tosca this weekend, a birthday present from Husband. The piercing beauty of human voices gets me every time.

Interior Design: I'm in the process of renovating my house so I find a lot of inspiration in magazines and especially in blogs on the internet. I can spend hours at a time lost in Anna Spiro's Absolutely Beautiful Things, Ella and Baba and Driftwood Interiors. There's something very energizing about design and visual art, particularly when the designers use colour, textures and shapes in interesting ways.

My 4 year old son's art. Yes, I know, I am utterly biased but I find this talent truly extraordinary, not least because no one else in the family has the smallest amount of skill in this area. Regardless of talent, it's his obsessive passion for drawing that really enchants me. I hope he never loses it.

Cooking: With spring in the air, I'm trying to build up a repertoire of healthy, tasty recipes full of summer goodness. Baking is my weakness and my recreation. I love to do it but unfortunately I also love to eat what I bake!

Children's books: My agent sent me a set of Ursula Vernon's Dragonbreath books and I'm having a ball reading them to my sons. The vocabulary is quite advanced and yet the stories are so gripping, my 4 year old begs to go to bed early just so we can read the next chapter. I'm in awe of writers who can capture children's interest so thoroughly.

Fiction: You know I'm busy when I say I haven't had time to sit down and read! For me, that's pretty much unheard of. Luckily there is a solution--audiobooks! I am currently glomming Lisa Gardner. Man, the books are even scarier when they're read to you. I have also learned from experience not to listen to them when I'm eating. I know Lisa would be glad to hear me say that and think it a job well done.

Classic movies: As inspiration for the next romance, what could be better than watching An Affair to Remember for the zillionth time or snuggling down to watch every possible version of Pride & Prejudice?

Music: Yes, I admit, I'm an 80s/90s tragic. I load up the iPod and go walking or listen in the car and let my mind wander.

How do you re-energize after a particularly gruelling or emotionally draining time? Do you use creative pursuits as therapy? What's your favorite Lisa Gardner book?

Christine we have missed you as well but I gotta say I am looking forward to January and the new book whoo hoo.

For me I read I just get so lost in the books I read they transport me to a different place and I can so turn off to everything and I also love playing with the grandkids and reading them books this Saturday we are all going to Taronga Park Zoo we haven't been for years and I know we are going to love it together.

I mostly read to unwind, it just takes me away for a while. Embroidery is easy Christine/Christina, my mother taught me when I was 5 years old, started out on handkerchiefs for her and kept graduating up until I was doing clothing.Crewel is a variation of embroidery, same stitches just different material, it works very well for pillow (decorative pillows) tops. I don't think I have read Lisa Gardner, if they are the least bit scary I can guarantee I haven't.

Re-engergising isn't what I do... I chill out by painting. It's my way of re-organising what's happening in my books in my brain. However, my new neighbours over the back fence think I talk to myself; but really I'm thinking out aloud about my characters, plots, subplots and what stories I'll do next.While I'm painting, I play a couple of vinyls on the turntable (and I love artists such as Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull, The Eurythmics, RHCP and INXS just to name a few) and sometimes I'll be singing the lyrics of the songs. Also my budgie does seem to love the music too. :P

There are several things I like to do to recharge. I read, I veg out with a movie--sometimes I like to listen to the director's commentaries of a favorite movie--it's a fun way to think about different paths to story telling.

BTW, I know Ursurla Vernon--she's a riot. My kids have her books too, even though they are officially a bit old for them. :-)

Christine, I read, watch a movie, or have lunch with friends when I surface from a project. The dh and I go to bookstores to browse. Just getting out of the house and being among people perks me up.

We've missed you around here, but it was worth it if I get a new Christina Brooke story to read.

Demetrius reports overhearing the GR ask Paolo (whom he must've pegged as a soft target) if you were away working on something for Friday's big announcement. Paolo, to his credit, responded by saying Sven was hoping for a new feather duster. The GR fled. Bwahaha!

But the lemon bars Sven had out back for the Halloween bash are missing.

No internet, no cell, no TV or radio. Long walks out in nature, just sitting around listening to the birds, watching the antics of squirrels or rabbits, listening to the trees - for me, nothing puts things more into perspective than sitting under an 800 yr old oak or cottonwood tree and wondering who stood here before me and what their life was like. Nature restores me - leaves me with peace - faster than anything.

Christine, what a fun post. I love your son's drawings. Isn't he talented? I've started to factor in reading days. They really freshen up my mind and they're so relaxing. And it also means I take a few books off the TBR pile. Mind you, I then buy some more so that scheme isn't working so well.

I've never read a Lisa Gardner. Maybe I should. I've never listened to an audio book. They're not really something that fits into my lifestyle (I have a lifestyle? Who knew?).

Congratulations on getting your book off! I bet it's going to be another great read.

Christina - Glad you're able to poke your head out of the writing cave. Turning in a book completely wipes me out creatively. I know some authors say they need a week inbetween books - I need more like a month - just to catch up on all the things I let slide while I was in that homestretch.

Refilling the well - Reading does it for me. I'm constantly reading, but usually nonfiction for research. Getting to read for pleasure helps nurture the muse, as does going to movies. Movies are especially powerful as I'm generally sitting in the dark next to the man I love happily munching popcorn. Life doesn't get much better. I always think I'll paint some in the downtime, but the downtime slips away too fast and deadlines require I haul my butt back to the computer. Oh well - enjoy this break.

Dianna, you say embroidery is easy but you probably have a natural aptitude for it. I'm too impatient, I think! My mother also tried to teach me things when I was five but it didn't take.

Yes, Lisa Gardner's books are scary. I don't normally read books that are so gritty but I listened to a workshop she did at RWA and got a lot out of it so I decided to give her a try. Really enjoying them!

LOL on the kinks, Anna! I just don't think of Sven that way. His silent dark and brooding brother Lars, now...

I never knew you were into computer games! I can see you doing Wii kickboxing or something though. Yes, a brisk walk is always a good idea, too. I need to get my body moving after sitting for so many long stretches.

Thanks for the recommendation, Anna! I'll try Karen Rose, too. Say Goodbye was just harrowing wasn't it? I think probably the one I found most powerful was the one with the "Burger Man". I don't remember the title now.

I read and watch TV and movies to refill the well. I'd also like to get back to making jewelry but haven't had the time to buy what I need for those projects :-)

I've found that I'm more creative if I take Sundays off from...well..pretty much everything *g* No writing. No internet. Just working around the house, reading and cooking and baking. Monday morning I'm ready to dive back into my work again!

Thanks, Anna! Yes I envy you those reading days. Quite understand you don't need audiobooks, but I use them to bribe myself to do boring chores or exercise. Music is good too but I think because books have always been my relaxation and entertainment it feels less like work when I get to do that at the same time.

Thank you for the compliment on Itchy's drawing! I hope he keeps it up.

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September Releases

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Donna MacMeans, Trish Milburn, and Nancy Northcott will all be in Atlanta for the Moonlight and Magnolias conference in Decatur, Georgia September 30 through October 2nd. If you're in the area, stop by for the booksigning. We'd love to see you.

Redeeming the Rogue by Donna MacMeans received a 4.5 star TOP PICK! review from Romantic Times Magazine.

Living in Color by Trish Milburn is now available on Kindle, Smashwords and at barnesandnoble.com for the Nook.